Crowd of curious people in front of Dhanmondi 32

More than half of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s house on Dhanmondi road no. 32 in the capital has been demolished. A crowd of curious people was found there in the morning today, Friday. Many of them were looking inside and around the demolished house. A few were taking selfies also.

Some people were seen vandalising in some parts of the house with hammers. A group of people were cutting rods using saw while another group was taking the rods away. Some people were seen loosening bricks from the house. However, no heavy machineries were seen being used to demolish the house.

A crowd of journalists was found surrounding the house. Many of those who were moving through road no. 32 were slowing down their vehicles to gaze at the house and take pictures. A crowd of people was also seen at the place where a cow was slaughtered and cooked Thursday.

More than half of the house was razed to the ground using an excavator, crane and bulldozer between 8:00 pm on Wednesday and 11:00 am on Thursday. Although the demolition had been stopped after that, there was a crowd of agitated and curious people centering the house throughout Thursday.

Agitated student and general people on Wednesday night carried out massive demonstrations surrounding that house on Dhanmondi road no. 32 centering an announcement to publish a speech of ousted prime minister of Awami League, Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India. At one point, the house was vandalised and then set on fire.

An excavator and a crane were brought in as the crowd started demolishing the house on Wednesday night. Then a bulldozer was added the same night. The demolition continued with a blue excavator till 11:00 am on Thursday.

While visiting Dhanmondi 32 Thursday morning around 8:00 am, the house was found to have been reduced to rubble. The eastern side of the house was being demolished with an excavator then.

There was a crowd of thousands of agitated and curious people there in the morning. Some of them gathered in a mob and chanted slogans against Sheikh Hasina and her autocracy. Meanwhile, some were seen taking pictures or videos of the demolished house on their cellphones.

Around 4:15 pm, a cow was slaughtered in front of that house at the initiative of an organisation named ‘July Oikkojote’. Spokesperson for the organisation, Sayeed Ahmed Sarker told Prothom Alo that the cow was slaughtered in front of Mujib’s house as part of celebrations following the demolition of this iconic building of fascism.

After the vandalism began at Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s house on Dhanmondi 32, the first incident of vandalism outside the capital was reported from ‘Sheikh Bari’ in Khulna on Wednesday night. Next, the house of Awami League central leader Mahbubul Alam Hanif was attacked in Kushtia.

Then in the last two days, at least 33 houses and business establishments of Awami League central leaders, former ministers and members of parliament including former president Abdul Hamid were attacked, vandalised and set on fire. Plus, at least fifty murals of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and members of the Sheikh family have been demolished. Eight Awami League offices have been vandalised and set on fire as well.